Bennett had been president and CEO of the company since July 2012, and Symantec says he resigned from the board of directors after his termination. The Mountain View, Calif., company did not cite a precise reason for Bennett's ouster.

"This considered decision was the result of an ongoing deliberative process, and not precipitated by any event or impropriety," Symantec Chairman Dan Schulman said in a press release.

Brown has been with the company since July 2005, and he is a former chairman and CEO of Quantum Corp.